


Drinks Of Choice

by Millijana



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Post War, RP Ella, RP-based
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-04
Updated: 2013-10-04
Packaged: 2017-12-28 10:13:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/990838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Millijana/pseuds/Millijana





	Drinks Of Choice

She nipped from her glass and closed her eyes, while memories flooded her mind. It was her fifth? Maybe more. She didn’t know. It had been a long day. Another Gala for another beneficial cause she hat to attend to. One of the many this summer. The war was over – the struggle for survival wasn’t. Hunger, poverty, diseases were the biggest problems now. People were still dying in thousands every day and this was another event to make sure there were enough supplies of all kind to stop this. It wasn’t that she didn’t support this. Hell she gave a good fortune every month for different causes, talks to people who had resources, persuaded them to help.

It was all she could do for the moment, probably another year. She was still getting used to her artificial eye and the new cybernetics. She would be back in the field one day, but until then she had to attend to these kinds of things. Making sure once again there was something left fighting for.

They had asked her to come to Rio. Quit active duty and teach. Ella had just laughed. No, she was 34 years old and would definitely not give up yet. One day when they would settle down, she could imagine being a teacher and instructor. Whatever. But not now. She wanted to get back into the thick of it.

Her eyes still closed she took another sip from her glass and let the memories its taste elicited wash over her. It was almost like she could taste him. Smell him. She hadn’t seen him in months. Not really. A few weekends he had managed to come to Vancouver but it had always been just a few days; three tops. And due to her different treatments, and other appointments with all kind of people they barely had time spent together. They had used the time wisely, that was no question, still, it hadn’t been enough and saying goodbye had been hard. Every time a bit more. She missed him and she needed him here with her.

But she also understood perfectly how important it was to fill up the ranks of the fallen. So many of them had died in this war that the Alliance was pushing the N7 recruits more than ever, in a month he would be finished; would be an official N7 operative. She suspected him to get his own command right away. He was by now already considered a veteran, fighting alongside her was the best thing that could have happened for his career. It would also make things a bit more complicated. Ella fought for months to be transferred to the Citadel by the time he was finished. It would make things a bit easier. But Hackett had told her she should wait with everything until it would have been decided where he was sent. Even he didn’t know by now. David had just smiled. Ella was sure they knew something, but didn’t tell her.

A sigh left her lips, when she started to imagine smelling his aftershave. She smiled and decided that this glass would be her last. Should be anyway if she didn’t want to risk to make a damn fool of herself. But there was yet a bit of the brown liquor left. So she didn’t move and just took one more deep breath; still smelling his aftershave. She smiled and shook her head, God she was losing her mind.

“That doesn’t look like tequila, Lola,” his voice whispered in her ear.

Ella’s eyes cracked open and she froze. That couldn’t be. He was supposed to be on some hostile planet, killing slavers, mercs or other vermin. But his voice was real, as were his hands on her hips pulling her back against him. She started to smile, still wondering why he was here, but he would explain her, later. “The reason might be because it isn’t tequila. It’s a good rum, you’d like it,” she said putting down the glass on the bannister in front of her.

She knew he was grinning and she knew what he would say next. “You think so? Then I should best try it myself, huh?” With that his hands turned her around so she could look at him, but just for a moment, before he pressed his lips on hers, cupping her face with his hands. Lips parted soon, his tongue brushing over her bottom lip. Ella almost gasped when their tongues finally moved against each other. She was almost glad he broke the kiss after a moment. Had it lasted just a bit longer she might have forgotten they weren’t alone. He pulled her in a tight embrace, his arms around her shoulders, his cheek resting against her head. “You’re right. I like it. Not sure if it’s just the rum or you, though.”

Ella smiled leaning against him. “And that tequila you drank before you came here… that’s a good one too.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, thought I better try it before I present it to you and it’s crap.” He tightened his embrace for a short moment. “I’ve missed you, Lola,” he whispered.

“I missed you, too, James.” She leaned against him for one more moment, before she pulled back a bit so she could look at him. Her eyes moved over his face, glad to see him, yet wondering. “What the hell are you doing here?”

He chuckled and shook his head. “That’s the way you tell me you missed me?” But then he got serious and lifted one hand pointing with his index to a new badge on his dress blues.

Ella’s eyes followed his hint and her eyes widened. “Holy shit, you did it!” She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down, placing a kiss on his neck. “Fuck, I’m so proud of you.”

She felt his arms around her waist lifting her from the floor for a moment. And he laughed. The few times they had seen each other both of them had been immensely stressed. Sure they had laughed, but this was different; carefree. When she was back on the ground he smiled at her. “You sound almost surprised.”

Ella shook her head. “I knew you’d make it all along, but weren’t you supposed to stay for another month?”

“Last mission turned out more thick than expected, more opposition, more of fucking everything. Would have been something you liked. And we made it. All of us made it out alive, just minor injuries. That’s why they forgot the last mission.” His face was beaming with pride.

And all Ella could do was smile. “God, I’m so glad that you’re back.” She couldn’t hide the fact that she was relieved. The final missions of the N7 training frequently ended with the death of one or more of the recruits. Both of them had known this before he’d left Vancouver the last time. But here he was alive and breathing. “How long are you gonna stay?” Her question was all she could think of right now. She knew he would leave her again.

He grinned. “Long enough. Anderson said he’ll talk to me next month.”

She couldn’t believe what he said. It was the Third of June, that meant they actually had four full weeks. She shook her head in disbelieve. And this was rare. Ella could remember that she was sent off right away after she got her designation, but obviously this time it was different. Or maybe just for James. Or they just got this free month as a bonus for finishing earlier and better than the rest. Either way she was glad about it. Her drink on the bannister was forgotten and all she wanted was to get home. And she had the impression it was the same with him. It had been a damn long time since she’d peeled him out of his blues. And she was not willing to wait longer than necessary.

She wouldn’t waste just one second of this month.

 

Hours later they looked at each other, still a bit out of breath, but happy. “So what’s this with you and drinking rum, Lola?”

Ella chuckled and blushed immediately. It had been her little secret. It was ridiculous to call it that way, but fact was she’d never told him about it. She smiled at him and bit her lip.

“Spill,” he requested with a smile; apparently quite amused by her embarrassment.

She sighed. “I drink rum whenever I wanna taste something that reminds me of you,” she said quietly, her cheeks turning into a bit darker shade of red. “Whenever I miss you too much.” It was needless to say anything more.

He pulled her a bit closer and placed a kiss on her forehead. He smiled and shook his head. “That’s why I drank the tequila. Couldn’t wait to see you, when I came home and you weren’t there. Until I found out where I would find you.”

She chuckled. “So when you leave in the future we have to make sure there is enough rum in the house and tequila in your duffel bag, hm?” She kissed his chin.

And this became some kind of a loving joke between them. Giving each other a bottle of their favorite liquor. For those lonely moments. The ones you needed the other one most.


End file.
